


Stars

by Everlasting_Juno



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M, Marriage Proposal, Valentine's Day, listen this is my first time publishing something on this website im trying my best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29459235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everlasting_Juno/pseuds/Everlasting_Juno
Summary: Robin finally decides to go through with something everyone seems to have been waiting for. Will it go well? You already know the answer, why are you reading this summary? Just read this in hopes of attaining that warm, fuzzy feeling.
Relationships: Chrom/Sumia (Fire Emblem), Henry/Olivia (Fire Emblem), My Unit | Reflet | Robin/Tiamo | Cordelia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Stars

I stared at the metallic ring, thinking of all the possibilities arising from it. Maybe with that… I shook my head. I wasn’t sure of anything. I didn’t want to risk anything unnecessary. Unnecessary risks were never a good idea. I’d learned that lesson countless times over the years.

Then again, being in a jewelry store in the middle of the day probably wasn’t a good idea, either.

“Hiya, Robin! What are you doing in a shop like this?”

Hypothesis proven correct.

I turned around to see a cheery young woman, with her hair in a ponytail. She waved at me, and I smiled. 

“Hello, Anna.”

“Didn’t answer my question.” She winked, and leaned against one of the tables.

I shook my head. “Aren’t you being a bit casual in a shop like this?”

“Eh. Life’s too short to care about appearances. Especially if I’ve already befriended the only people worth befriending.”

I blushed at the compliment. Or, what I thought was a compliment. I could never tell, with Anna.

“Robiiiiiiiin, come on, tell me! Do you like jewelry, and you just keep it a secret from the rest of the army? Or…”

Anna smirked.

Oh no.

“Could it be that you plan on tying the knot with that special someone in your life?”

“Well, er… I don’t think I need to provide a reason for my shopping, correct?”

“Technically not, but come on; between friends, what are you up to in here?”

Excuse time!

“Chrom asked me to see if I could find any jewelry he could give to Sumia for St. Valentine’s Day. He asked me not to tell anyone, but you insisted, so…”

“Hmm…” Anna put her finger to her chin, and sat still for a moment, seeming to be lost in thought. “Why he would ask you, of all people, is lost to me…”

“Twenty gold for no questions.”

“Excuse accepted.”

I took the gold from my pouch and gave it to Anna, who shook it a few times to hear the coins clink against each other. 

I was thankful for that band of brigands the other day, else I’d not have had the extra money to bribe this woman.

“So,” Anna asked, as she was putting the coins in a bulging purse, “do you have any idea what ‘Sumia’ likes?”

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling my cheeks flush. Was I really so obvious? I didn’t think I was…

“Well, to be honest… I’m not sure. She and I haven’t ever really talked about her tastes in jewelry.”

“That does make shopping for jewelry as a gift for her harder, doesn’t it. But, why browse the ring section?”

“Ah-” I looked around, realizing that I was still in front of the ring section. “I’ve heard she likes rings.”

“Proposal rings?”

“Maybe?”

Anna sighed, and took out her purse again, shaking some gold out of it. She picked out some pieces, then held out the rest.

“Robin, just take the gold back and tell me what you’re doing. I’ll keep it a secret.”

I stared at her hand, wondering if she had come down with something. I had never seen Anna give anyone gold before. She had bought stuff, sure, but I’d never seen her just give   
away gold for no reason…

“It’s your gold, Robin. You gave it to me, and I’m giving it back because I can’t continue acting like you’re just browsing for Chrom’s wife.”

“That’s fair.”

I took the gold back.

“Seriously, why are you browsing proposal rings? A month before St. Valentine’s Day? I’m only asking to tease you, because I can guess the answer.”

“I’m still shocked that you gave me my gold back without my even asking first.”

“I’m avaricious, but I’m not evil. I’m not mean enough to steal gold from someone who doesn’t deserve it.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry for assuming things about you.”

“Apology not accepted until you quit stalling and tell me why you’re here.”

“But-”

“Robin.” Anna looked at me. “Do you really not trust me? We’ve been over this countless times before. Trust me a little.”

“...”

Why was I hesitating? Anna was right, there was no reason not to trust her with this info. Why was I always so worried about telling other people about things?

“Anna, I want to propose to Cordelia on St. Valentine’s Day.”

Anna stared at me with wide eyes. “Well, I’m glad I didn’t have to beat the information out of you this time. And, it’s about time. How long have you two been together again?”

“At least a few years. I’ve always been scared of taking this step, especially because I’m still not sure if I’m on borrowed time or not.”

“Yeah, can’t wrong you for that one…”

We grew silent. I never knew if I was going to suddenly fade away. I wasn’t sure why I was still around after attempting to sacrifice myself to kill Grima, but there had to be a catch.   
As much as I preached about them, bonds between people wouldn’t save a life.

I had asked Lucina if she knew anything about it, but she had told me she hadn’t seen anything like that in the future. I had predicted that, but… I wish I knew why I hadn’t died.

Not that I was complaining.

“Anyways!”

I jumped a little, startled by the suddenness of Anna’s shout.

“I don’t think you should hesitate here.”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean…” Anna looked at the ground, a solemn expression on her face. “Just in case you do disappear one day, shouldn’t you make the most of life? Why not go for the things   
you want?”

“I know, but… it’s a scary step to take. I don’t want to cause unnecessary pain.”

“I get that. I know how you are, Robin. Everyone in the Shepherds does. Just… take care of yourself.”

“Moving on, because I’d hate to just talk about sad stuff all day,” I pointed to a ring. “Can I get your advice on this one? I’m still not sure what ring to go for.”

“Hm…” She scrutinized the ring through the glass. “Well… I don’t think so.”

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s not engraved right. See, look here.” She pointed to a part of the ring, and I looked. “The corner’s chipped there. Once you notice that, the ring itself loses any sort of luster it   
had for you.”

“You’re right. Any suggestions, then?”

Anna thought for a moment. “No, I don’t think I can suggest things here, Robin. This is your proposal, your marriage. I think you should do everything yourself. If you’d like me to   
make sure you’re not getting ripped off, I can do that, though.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

I started browsing the rings again, but my mind wandered. Did I, as Grima’s reincarnation, truly deserve this? Did I have the right to have a future, after I stole Lucina, Owain, and   
many others’ futures from them?

Shouldn’t there be a price? It didn’t sit well with me that we had gotten rid of Grima for essentially no price.

I paused. If I was still alive, wouldn’t that mean that Grima hadn’t been killed? Wouldn’t he still be… well, not alive, but isn’t there a risk of him returning in a few thousand years?

“Robin!”

I jumped again. 

“You look pale, and you’ve been looking at the same ring for a while now. Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I’m alright. Just… not feeling too well, is all.”

I pushed those thoughts out of my mind, and resumed my search. Those problems were for later. 

About half an hour later, I came across a ring that caught my eye. 

“Anna, how about this one?”

Anna scrutinized the ring through the glass. “I don’t see any faults with the craftsmanship, and I’m ninety-nine percent sure that it’s made of real silver. Interesting design, too.”

I stared at it, determination welling up in my chest. The ring had wing designs circling around it, originating from a point in the middle where a ruby sat. It seemed like it was   
made for Cordelia.

I made up my mind.

“I think I want this one.”

“Not a bad choice. I’m sure I’d be happy if I was into a guy and he got me a ring like this.”

“Anna, are you… seeing someone?”

Anna laughed. “Nah, I’m not interested. I’d rather do what I love.”

“Making money.”

“Not just that. While I do enjoy the money part, the whole process in shopping is what draws me in. If I was just in this for money, don’t you think I’d just be a thief?”

“You got me there.”

“Here, watch and learn. You’re about to see a woman work her magic.”

I walked with Anna to the counter of the shop, and listened as she made polite conversation with the man working the desk.

Personally, I couldn’t stand the man. I didn’t even have to talk to him to know he was looking down his nose at us. He was exactly the type of man that Chrom was working to rid   
the country of, though every noble family was working to stop him. 

“Now, Mister… Raikam, was it? I’m quite interested in purchasing a ring over here…”

As we walked towards the ring, I couldn’t help but get excited for whatever bartering tricks Anna had up her sleeve. I wasn’t sure how she was going to navigate around this   
nobleman, but it was Anna, so I had faith in her abilities. 

“Ooooh, fine selection, my dear.” Raikam pushed his glasses up, looking at the ring. “I believe we have begun charging this ring at a price of four hundred thousand gold.”

“Four hundred thousand? Oh, but… my mother is sick, and we desperately need funds for her health. I’m afraid I can’t pay that much…”

“Not a problem, miss. Just for you, I’ll lower it to three hundred thousand.”

Isn’t that still more than double what a ring costs? Is he that arrogant, or is this a part of his plan…?

I watched as Anna fidgeted around a bit. What was her plan here…?

“Mister Raikam, are you sure that’s okay for you to do?”

She’s not stopping here, is she?! I don’t have that kind of gold!

“Yes. I will personally see to it that you are able to get this ring at this low of a cost. Shall I go get the papers?”

“Are you sure that you won’t get in trouble with Maschias?”

Maschias? Isn’t that the name of the mob boss? I mean… I looked at Raikam. Yeah. I can definitely believe this guy has a connection with Maschias.

“Wh-what do you mean, Miss?”

Anna slammed down a stack of papers. I didn’t even see her get them out, honestly. Judging by Raikam’s expression (and the sound he made), he didn’t either. 

“This is just a portion of a report I’ve written on all the activities you’ve done with the criminal known as Maschias. In here are boundless examples of the fraud, theft, and murder   
you’ve hired him and his cronies to do. For example, how about on the fifteenth of the Guardian Moon, when you had the nobleman Zacharias assassinated? Boy, I’m sure the Exalt   
would love to hear about that.”

“Er, you m-must have the wr-wrong idea-”

“Don’t think for a second you have any wiggle room here. I know all the dirty activities you’ve been up to. Want me to name more examples? How about the twenty-third of the   
Horsebow Moon, when you-”

“Alright, alright, I get it.” Raikam was obviously flustered here, but he appeared to try and regain some semblance of control. “Name your price.”

“Give us the ring for free.”

I had honestly forgotten the goal here was a simple ring.

“Free?! You know I can’t do that. Fifty thousand, no less.”

“My, I sure do wonder what the Exalt would do with this information… hell, even Maschias, he’d love to know about the things you were up to last mo-”

Raikam paled at the last part. “You… how do you…?”

“Free, and I keep this secret. Between us three, you know?”

He pointed at me. “How do I know he’ll keep his word?”

“He’s simply my… associate. He’s here to ensure you don’t do anything stupid. How many hexes have you cast at this point, Thomas?”

I scrambled for a number after realizing she was referring to me.

“Ah, er, thirty-seven.”

“Thirty-seven hexes. I’d expect no less from someone so brazenly wearing Grimleal garb in the open these days.”

Hey, I just like the robes. They’re comfy.

“And what do these hexes do, Thomas?”

“Well…” I plucked information I had gotten from Tharja in the past. “They can boil your insides, make you vomit body parts, change your intestines to those of a horse’s, make you   
fall in love with a chicken-”

“I get it, okay! I get it, so just… take the ring. And, please, don’t activate any of those hexes.”

“As long as you don’t defy us, we won’t.”

Taking the box the ring was in, I put it into one of my pockets.

“We’ll see you later, Raikam!”

He mumbled a few curses after us as we made our way out. Once we were far enough away, I looked at Anna.

“I hope you know that I do have to report this to Chrom, yes?”

“Don’t worry. I have my own report to make. After all, it’d be a waste of paper if I just let all that be, correct? And wasting paper is not a thing I want to do.”

“You were lying when you told him you were going to keep it secret?”

“Of course I was. Why would I want a scumbag like him to be free?”

“I can’t think of a reason, honestly.” I thought for a moment. “Why did you write that in the first place?”

“Chrom asked me to investigate any trace of corruption in this city’s nobility I could find. I can’t say I’m surprised at how much there is, but I wish he’d have other people help me   
out with it. All this work is cutting into my own profits.”

“Chrom only asked you?”

“As far as I’m aware, yes.”

“Well, you’ve shown you’re capable enough at it to warrant that trust he has in you. I’ll see if I can have him see if other people can look into it, too.” I looked at the ring again. I   
couldn’t help but admire its beauty, and I was excited for what was to come. “Thank you.”

“Aw, don’t mention it! Just make sure I get an invite to the wedding, okay?”

With that, Anna walked away. 

I never wanted to get on her bad side, that’s for sure.

~

I paced in my office. 

How did I want to do this? Just a simple proposal, no extravagance? Or did I want to go all out? What was the plan?

I looked out the window, seeing the sunset. It was gorgeous, and I recalled all the moments that had led me to this life. Remembering all the nights of camping out in the wild,   
after marching for who knows how long, on our way to the next battle in the midst of war.

War isn’t kind. I knew that all too well. It was still shocking to me how none of the Shepherds had died in any of the battles we fought, especially with some of my more… bizarre   
decisions. I still beat myself up over the decision to fight in a volcano, for Naga’s sakes!

I was grateful to Henry, who had told me stories of a Plegian general named Mustafa. Before, I had been steadfast in my goals and beliefs, thinking that Plegia was filled with evil   
madmen who wanted nothing more than the ruination of the world. Henry’s stories made me see that I was wrong in that, and I took care to pay my respects to the fallen on both   
sides. I wished I could have talked with Mustafa. I knew that we couldn’t, given the situation, but… I believe I could have learned something from him. Something that could have   
saved me from myself.

I shook my head. These thoughts always plagued me, especially when I was alone. It was easy for me to begin overthinking my decisions, and start believing I was in the wrong,   
even though there isn’t always a “right” and “wrong” in war. It’s not always so black and white. 

As much as I wished it was.

I was startled by a knocking on my office door, and took a moment to compose myself.

“Yes?”

“Robin, can I come in?”

I breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Chrom. 

“Door’s unlocked.”

Chrom entered the room, and I smiled. He seemed to always pop up whenever I was beginning to trouble myself with my thoughts. It made me wonder if he had asked one of our   
mages for a sensor of some sort, so he could know when I’m about to get lost in my thoughts again.

I chuckled at the idea. It seemed like something he would do, but I didn’t think he would go that far without telling me. 

“I would say I’m surprised you’re still in your office this late, but quite frankly, I’m not surprised in the slightest.”

“Fair. After all, this is where I spend eighty percent of my time.”

“At least it’s not one-hundred percent, like it used to be.”

“I was a real shut-in after the war with Plegia, wasn’t I?”

Chrom looked at the desk, memories likely filling his head. “If I recall, there were a few times when I had to ban you from this place just to get you outside.”

“Like a parent grounding a child. Thankfully, you found some other children to be a father to.”

“And what a joy it is. As confusing as it is to ask, Robin, do you plan on having Morgan anytime soon?”

It was a confusing question. We had the knowledge of our future children, or at least the possibility. While there could be more we don’t know about, most of the children from the   
future had been born already. 

The problem lied with Morgan. We weren’t sure which timeline she came from, and her amnesia hadn’t gone away. Blood tests revealed that she was related to Cordelia and I, but   
Severa had claimed she never saw her before. 

Due to Severa’s nature, however, we were never sure. 

I still wondered if it was the wisest choice to allow the future children to disappear like they did. Morgan had chosen to go along with Lucina and the others, and I was pretty sure   
they were still in Ylisse somewhere. It most likely wouldn’t be too hard to find them, but… there seemed to be an unspoken agreement to not do so unless it was an absolute   
emergency. 

The future we had grasped was one unknown to anyone. There was no way to say if we would ever meet them again.

I was a bit saddened by that thought, especially since so many of the children obviously had an intense desire to spend more time with their parents. Even though it was obvious   
favoritism, I especially felt bad for Severa and Morgan. They were the ones who lost their parents the earliest, due to one of them being Grima and the other…

I shook my head again. Didn’t want to be thinking about that.

“Robin? Everything okay?”

I looked to Chrom, who had decided to leisurely relax in my chair. I smirked. He always had a tendency to somehow make any chair he sat in look like the most relaxing chair ever   
known to mankind. 

“Yeah, just… thinking, is all.”

“Thinking is dangerous for you.”

I sighed. “I know.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“Just… a lot of things. Mostly about Mustafa and the future generation.”

Chrom seemed to think for a moment. “Mustafa was the Plegian general we ran into right after Emmeryn’s sacrifice, correct?”

“From what Henry’s told me, yes.”

Chrom nodded. “Henry had a father-son sort of relationship with him, too, if I recall. Does he know what we had to do?”

“Yes. He’s expressed that he’s fine with how things turned out, and that he knows that Mustafa was a victim of Gangrel’s insanity.”

“Good. And, Robin… I’ve wished that things could have turned out different just as much as anyone else. I know Mustafa was a good man; I had heard tales of him before we even   
had the war with Plegia. ‘The Benevolent Hero’, they called him.” Chrom chuckled. “How stereotypical.”

“If what Henry says is true, then it’s not entirely wrong.”

“You’re correct. But… I still have hatred for the man, honestly. He was the one in our way after what happened to Emmeryn. As much as I know it’s wrong, I still hate him.”

“I can’t change your mind on that, even though I want to.” I looked out the window, realizing the sun had gone down completely. Staring at the stars, I chose my words carefully. “I   
don’t think it’s necessarily wrong of you to do that either. War isn’t black and white, as much as we wish it was.”

“I’m assuming that’s what you’ve been thinking about all this time?”

“You’d be correct.” I sighed again. 

“It may not be black and white, but our choices have been made, and there’s no going back. We have to believe we made the right ones. Judging by the state of the world, I’d say   
it’s easy to believe that much.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“And, hey, you’re still with us. I think that’s more a sign of our choices being correct than anything.”

“I know what you think, Chrom, but I can’t help but believe I’m on borrowed time. I’m never sure of how much longer I’ll be around.”

“Actually… I can’t believe I almost forgot, but Henry told me he’d finally made some progress in that research. He says that there’s no conceivable way for you to still be alive.”

Chrom smiled at me. 

That wasn’t necessarily good news.

“...I hope this is going somewhere.” 

“Well, if there’s no conceivable way for you to still be alive, then the only answer is that Naga was right, and that your bonds with us are what revived you!”

“That is the stupidest reasoning I’ve ever heard.”

“But it’s the only thing we have!”

I shook my head, smiling. Chrom’s faith in me was something I could never understand.

I stood in silence for a few moments, looking at the stars. It was shocking to me how beautiful they were. I remembered how often I’d spend nights outside of my tent, staring up   
at the stars. I still couldn’t pick out many constellations, but I appreciated their beauty nonetheless. 

“Robin, what’s this box?”

My heart skipped a beat, and I spun around and lunged for the box sitting on my desk as fast as I possibly could. 

Chrom dodged me, as I hadn’t been in combat for quite some time, and was unsuited for physical activity as-is. I didn’t do much physical activity anymore, mostly just read books   
all day.

I landed on the ground, but rolled into a crouch, then lunged again…

Banging my head into my desk. 

I really needed a bigger office.

Chrom laughed at me, laying face down on the ground. My forehead throbbed. I wondered if I had gotten a concussion from this. Chances were, I did, but I had bigger problems to   
deal with.

I looked up, only to see my worst nightmares coming true: Chrom was opening the box, and his face told me that he knew exactly what the ring inside was for.

“Robin! I didn’t know you planned on proposing!”

“Ugh…”

“I can’t wait to tell Sumia!”

I let my head fall back to the ground again. I really didn’t want him to know about this. Now I could expect a complicated plan, with hundreds of extravagant decorations and   
many background dancers hired for Chrom’s musical solo while I proposed. 

While the idea was funny, it wasn’t fitting for what I wanted. 

“So, when were you planning on it?”

“...”

“Come on, tell me! I’m your best friend, after all! Oh, consider all expenses paid for whatever you choose to do.”

“Whatever I choose?”

I looked up to see Chrom kneeling to my side. He held a hand out, offering to help me up. I grasped it, and he pulled me to a standing position, where he returned the ring to me.

“Of course! While I love planning special events for you, this isn’t an area I can interfere. Everything about this is up to you. It’s your proposal, Robin… well, yours and Cordelia’s.   
Even if I wanted to interfere with your plans, Sumia would kill me if I tried to force you to do what I want.”

“And… what is it that you want me to do?”

“I don’t. This is completely up to you, Robin.” Chrom rubbed his head. “I will admit that I am a bit worried, though. While you’ve shown your genius more times than I can count in   
battle, you’ve always taken a more… passive role in your personal relationships. You’re never the proactive one, so your inexperience worries me. But,” Chrom clasped my   
shoulder, and I winced. His grip was always too strong. “I have faith in you. I don’t doubt for a second that whatever you plan will be perfect for you two. No matter what, you have   
my support.”

I smiled. I was grateful to him, for that. His support meant the world to me. 

“I appreciate that, Chrom. However… I still don’t know what I want to do, in all honesty.”

“Do you at least know ‘when’?”

“Well… as lame as it sounds, St. Valentine’s Day was my planned date.”

“Not lame at all, Robin. If nobody proposed on that day, it wouldn’t be a celebration of love, would it?”

“You’ve got me there.”

“Remember, Robin, don’t be afraid to tell me whatever you need!”

With that, Chrom exited the office. 

That had gone a lot smoother than I’d have ever dared to hope. 

Who knew that he could be reasonable sometimes?

I looked at the ring again, and tried thinking of a plan for Valentine’s Day.

Chrom was right, I suppose. I usually was pretty passive in my personal life, because I never knew what to expect. Relationships weren’t conflict, and thus, my usual tactics were   
useless. 

I’d have to think about this one for a while. There was a lot to consider, and I was afraid of screwing this up.

This plan had to be perfect.

~

“This is the farthest thing from perfect I’ve ever come up with!”

I angrily balled the parchment up and tossed it across the room.

Only a few days until Valentine’s Day, and I had come up with nothing but trash. I looked out the window and cursed. It was night already? Had I truly wasted all day on garbage   
ideas?

I didn’t even want to think about the lizard plan…

I shook my head again. I had to come up with something, something that would truly be the perfect thing for this situation.

It seemed to me that all proposals I had heard of were these big, extreme situations. Proposing after a big dance number, or making the words “will you marry me?” made out of   
Risen corpses. 

I shuddered. I hoped Henry was joking when he told me about that one. 

I had gone to some of the men from the Shepherds, asking them about proposals they had heard about under the pretense of “research into Ylissean traditions”, but I’d heard   
nothing but over-the-top nonsense. 

Lizards? Who proposed while wearing a lizard suit?! And why did I actually consider it?!

“It’s no use…”

I buried my head in my arms, and crumpled in my chair, cursing Chrom in the process. For once, I wished he would take over planning, regardless of if I wanted him to or not.   
Anything was better than what I was coming up with.

I mean, seriously! A lizard!

“Why am I so focused on lizards recently…?”

“Knock, knock! Helloooooooo!”

“...?”

I raised my head as the door burst open, and a storm of red came into the room.

I cursed under my breath. While I was usually ecstatic for these surprises, this couldn’t be a worse time.

Well, that’s not entirely true. She could have come in at any point that Chrom was smothering me with hugs. I wonder why he’s been doing that so much recently…? Questions for   
later.

I desperately tried to hide all the parchment that was visible on my desk.

“You weren’t supposed to be back for another few days!”

Cordelia smiled, and my heart jumped for joy. She could always bring a smile to my face.

“Chrom let me off early. Said that I had other things to be focusing on rather than the Pegasus Knights.”

“To be frank, I’m surprised you took his offer.”

“I didn’t so much willingly take it as the vice-captain forced me to. Her threats were chilling.”

“She wouldn’t let you finish any paperwork if you refused?”

Cordelia shuddered. “Please, don’t give me nightmares.”

“I do agree with her, though. As I’ve said countless times, You do need to relax every once in a while.”

“So…” Cordelia glanced over the office, ignoring my advice. “I notice all the parchment. What’s got you troubled this time?”

“Sometimes I hate how transparent I am to you.”

“Sometimes I feel the same way about my transparency for you.”

Stall! For Naga’s sake, stall!

“Plans for Valentine’s Day.”

Sometimes, the truth was the best course. Or, half-truths. 

“Oh?” Cordelia reached for one of the balls of parchment lying on the floor. “And these plans are-”

“Agh! Don’t touch!” I swiped the parchment out of her hands. “I want it to, er, be a surprise.”

“I’m shocked. Usually, I’m the one that plans our dates.”

“Well, I wanted to try it out at least once.”

“Seems to be stressing you out.” Cordelia glanced over the room again. “A lot.”

“You could say that. There’s a lot to consider…”

“Well, no matter what,” Cordelia wrapped her arms around me. “I’m fine with anything as long as it’s with you.”

I could feel my cheeks flush. 

I wish I could get over how easily I get flustered.

“That’s one of the cheesiest things I’ve ever heard you say.”

“I aim to impress.”

“You blushing this time?”

“Not as hard as you are, I’m sure.”

I hope she couldn’t feel the ring.

We separated, and I sat back down. “How long are you staying this time?”

“At least a month. That’s what I was told, anyways. Seems kinda weird, honestly… Never gotten a month off before. I hope you’ll be able to keep me entertained.”

I was willing to bet that was Chrom pulling strings to make this work. I’d have to thank him later, after I smacked him for sending Cordelia home early.

“Want to head outside? I’m sure you’ve been in your office all day, and I know how much you like our stargazing sessions.”

I thought back to the first time we had a conversation. It had been shortly after Emmeryn’s sacrifice, and I had been outside in the rain, cursing my own stupidity. Thankfully,   
Cordelia had managed to snap me out of my funk then, though I’d sink back into depression and self-doubt again and again over the years.

She’d always say that I saved her more than she saved me, but… that would never be true. 

“Robin!”

“Ah! Yes, Ma’am?”

Cordelia sighed. “I don’t know if the ‘yes, ma’am’ part was necessary, but I’m glad I got your attention. You never answered me when I asked if you wanted to head outside with   
me. Probably overthinking things again.”

“You’d be correct in that.” 

“I never doubted I was.”

I debated with myself for a moment. While I would love to go see the stars with Cordelia again, I doubted I would be able to come up with a good plan while doing so, lovestruck   
fool that I am. I didn’t think I had the time remaining until the day of reckoning to do it.

“Sadly, I have to decline. I still have a bunch of paperwork Chrom asked me to fill out. Wish I hadn’t lost track of time.”

“Shame. Well, in that case, I have other people I’d like to surprise, and I can tell you want to get this done soon, so… I’ll leave you be for now.” 

With that, she left the room, my eyes glued to the scarlet hues of her hair as she left.

I looked down at the balls of parchment, and realized that… maybe I didn’t have to come up with a complicated plan. I didn’t think either of us would care for it.

I felt the cogs in my brain turning, and started to think up a relatively simple way to show my affection for her. One that wasn’t too complex, one that was far away from any   
prying eyes. 

One for the two of us alone. 

I ran into the hall, eager to grab what I needed.

~

“Robin, you okay in there?”

I opened my eyes, and lifted my head. Had I fallen asleep? Looking out the window, it appeared I had. It was already night. 

I sat up, yawned, and rubbed my eyes. I was still in the post-sleep delirium, not fully aware of everything going on.

I heard knocking at my door. That must have been what woke me up. One final stretch, then. 

“Come in!”

The door opened, and Chrom walked into the room. A classic sight. One that happened at least a few times per week.

“Did you fall asleep in here?”

“My dignity requires I answer ‘no’, but you probably know the answer.”

“Hope it was a good nap.” Chrom sat down. “How’re you feeling?”

“About…?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Ah. Yes.” I buried my head in my arms. “Chrom, how did you manage to do this?”

“In all fairness, Robin, it took me months to gather up the courage to do it. So many reasons why I didn’t think she would accept.”

“Yeah, that’s how I’m feeling right now.”

“It’ll work out, Robin. Although I don’t know her all that well, I have faith she’ll accept. I know you don’t like to be reminded of it, but you got her over her crush on me. That’s   
definitely an accomplishment.”

“What a horrible time that was…”

Chrom laughed, then grew silent. We sat like that for a few moments, both of us looking out the window.

“You got a plan?”

“Sure do.”

“Can I hear it?” 

“Nope.”

“Didn’t think so.”

“...”

“...”

We looked at each other and started laughing, for no explicable reason. 

“Robin, I can’t believe how far we’ve come.”

“Only seems like last week you found me in the field.”

“The first or second time?”

“...either one works.”

I sighed, and looked at the box sitting to my right. It was amazing to me how a simple band of metal could make me more nervous than staring Walhart the Conqueror in the face.

Chrom sighed. “Hard to believe all that’s happened.”

“Definitely seems like stuff out of a fairy tail.”

“The reincarnation of the dark god, stressing out over a mere proposal.”

I chuckled. “When you put it like that, it definitely doesn’t seem like something to be that stressed about.”

“Just believe in yourself. I know if I was a woman, I’d want you to propose to me every day.”

I cringed. “Chrom, that’s got to be one of the weirdest things you’ve ever said to me.”

Chrom shrugged. “Hey, you’re feeling better though, right?”

“No, not really. More weirded out than anything. Where do you come up with this stuff?”

“Good question. Sumia’s asked me the same thing countless times.”

“Any answer?”

“None.”

We laughed, and I could feel my stress melting away. Chrom was right; there wasn’t really all that much of a need to worry after all.

I was positive of that now.

~

I stood in front of the tea shop, nerves going off like the Risen fireworks that Henry had treated us all to after we defeated Walhart. I checked my watch. It was still five minutes to   
when we agreed to meet at noon, and I was positive those five minutes would feel like five years. 

I paced. Chrom had told me again and again that there was nothing to worry about, and that I should be confident she would accept, but… I still couldn’t convince myself. There   
was always a chance she’d refuse, and I had no idea what to do then. Where would we go from there? I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my days with her, but did she feel the   
same? Did… did she still harbor feelings for Chrom?

I slapped my cheeks, trying to get rid of my anxiety. There was no way she still had a crush on Chrom. I doubted Cordelia was the type of person to lead a friend on for no reason.   
She hadn’t shown any sign of that type of character.

Another look at the watch. Four minutes to noon. Naga, did time move slow…

Can we speed up time a little, please?

I thought about all the Shepherds. I always found it weird how practically none of the Shepherds had married outside of the group. Then again, you don’t go through all that we   
did and come out without feeling some form of attachment to the people you experienced it all with. 

I ran all the marriages through my head. Chrom had married Sumia, of course. Then we had Stahl and Sully, as if that wasn’t painfully obvious from the first time you saw the two   
of them together. They weren’t “lovey-dovey”, per say, but you didn’t see chemistry like theirs every day. Henry had gotten together with Olivia, to many people’s surprise: I wasn’t   
too shocked, as the person Henry talked to the most. Did we count as best friends? Ah, who knows. I’d like to think of us like that, as childish as it is to wonder. 

Another surprising match, Tharja had gotten together with Gaius. I wasn’t sure how that one happened. With Tharja involved, I doubted I wanted to know. Probably had something   
to do with hijinks caused by Tharja’s obsession with me.

I grimaced. While I enjoyed Tharja’s company when she wasn’t being a creepy stalker, she only spent what seemed like one percent of her time not being a creepy stalker. Before   
she had married Gaius, at least. Thankfully, she had calmed down considerably after that, and no longer engaged in stalker activities.

At least, as far as I was aware. 

I spun around instinctively, years of harassment surfacing in my memories. Didn’t spot anything in the greenery outside of the shop. I chided myself for even looking. Probably   
looked like more of a fool than I wanted to think about.

“Robin? What are you doing?”

I turned around and, cheesy as it sounds, went speechless. I wasn’t speaking beforehand, of course, but I couldn’t speak at all for a minute after what I saw. 

Cordelia was dressed in a beautiful red dress with white accents. It was a simple dress, which worked in her favor: it properly accented everything about her. Which was perfect. I   
was amazed. I felt like I had died and gone to a better place. Did I deserve to see this? I wasn’t sure. I-

“Robin? Are you okay?”

“Ah- yeah, sorry. Just…” I gestured at her. “You. Look stunning. Brain decided not to work.”

Cordelia blushed, matching the color of her dress. “Yeah, well… Sumia and Lissa helped me find a dress, and they settled on this one. I almost decided against wearing it, but…   
Sumia convinced me to try it out.”

“I’ll have to thank her later.”

“And I’ll have to thank… Chrom?”

I looked down, realizing that I had forgotten what I was wearing. It was a relatively simple suit, but it had purple accents here and there. Chrom told me that purple was a color   
that really suited me, so I should embrace it. I had completely forgotten that I wasn’t wearing my robes, somehow… 

I patted my sides, making sure I had coins and the ring. Yep, everything was there.

“You look really good too, Robin.”

“Thanks. You look stunning.”

She laughed. “Well, now I can be a little more confident, if I’ve got you flustered enough that you’re repeating yourself like that.”

I chuckled. “Did I say you look gorgeous? Because you do. And beautiful. And cute. An-”

“Alright, alright, I get it. Now come on,” she stepped towards me and looped her arm around mine, and I could see her start blushing. I was glad it wasn’t just me. “Let’s go   
already. You planned our date today, right? Where to?”

“First, uh…” I fished a piece of paper out of my jacket, and looked at it. There was enough on here to last at least several days, but I only needed enough to last until nighttime.   
Once night hit, it was time to move to phase two. 

I closed my eyes and sighed. Even though I wanted to keep it relatively simple, I still had to shove phases into my plan, and have back-ups for if my back-ups didn’t work out. I   
was a lost cause, wasn’t I?

“First, let’s go check out Henry’s stall he wanted to do. He’s been very excited about it for a while, and although he wouldn’t tell me what it was, he told me that you and I would   
love it.”

Cordelia smirked. “Fifty-fifty chance of it either being something involving animals or something involving war crimes by Ylisse’s standards.”

“Wanna make a bet?”

“I really, really hope it’s the animals.”

We laughed, and were on our way. With every step, I grew more and more aware of her arm looped around mine. Were people staring? Eh, they probably had their own significant   
others to pay attention to. 

I peeked at Cordelia, and our eyes met. We both blushed, and I looked away.

Just as I had my own lover to pay attention to.

~

“Henry, this is the best idea you’ve ever had.”

I looked up to see Henry smiling down at me, holding a dog half his height.

“I know, right? I thought, ‘hey, Olivia and I love dogs, so why don’t I give other people the chance to pet all the dogs they can?’ Lo and behold,” he gestured towards the plentiful   
amounts of dogs in the room. “Dogs! Valentine’s dogs! Olivia loved the idea!”

I looked around, wishing I knew the names of dog breeds. While it would be simple for me to cast Assess on the dogs to learn their species, the only tome I had on me was   
“Shine”. Besides that, I was enjoying myself in the moment.

Looking at Cordelia, she was too. While I wasn’t even successful in having a single dog approach me instead of growling and avoiding me, she had somehow gained the trust of at   
least seven dogs, and seemed to be drowning in cuddles. I mean, it made sense; animals had never liked me, being the reincarnation of the Fell Dragon and all. 

I couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous. Not of Cordelia, of course. Of the dogs. I wished I was in their position right now.

“Robin, can I talk to you over there for a moment?”

I looked at Henry, who pointed to a corner on the opposite end of the room, and looked at my watch. One o’clock. How we had already spent an hour here, I had no clue. 

“Yeah, I can spare the time.”

Henry set his fluffy friend down, who immediately ran over to Cordelia. Again, jealous. He and I proceeded to walk over to the corner he had pointed at. Once we were there, Henry   
dropped his voice.

“So remember how you asked me to look into your ‘resurrection’, see if I could figure out how you came back?”

I nodded. While I wasn’t expecting to learn more about this today, I was always willing to try and figure out anything I could. 

“Yeah, nothing new there. What’s the plan with the proposal?”

I felt like I just got whiplash.

“Huh?”

“I asked you how you were planning to propose.”

“I-I mean, I heard you, but why preface that question with my request?”

“Because it was funny, and I didn’t think you’d mind. You don’t, do you?”

“Not really, I guess, but… I’d prefer you not subject me to whiplash like that again. I feel like I fell off a pegasus!”

“Oh, is that what you’re planning? Fall of a pegasus, then propose when she heroically catches you?”

“NO!”

Henry looked dejected. “Looks like I owe Mister Exalt fifty silver… and missus Henry ten gold… and-”

“For Naga’s sakes, Henry, how many people did you make that bet with? And why? And, wait, how did you know I was planning to propose today?”

“Hey, at least I got that right!”

Was I that transparent?!

Henry wrapped me in a hug, to which I didn’t quite know how to respond. 

“Well, whatever happens, buddy, I’m sure it’ll be amazing. If I was a woman, I’d be looking forward to today.”

“What is it with everyone and telling me how they’d be in love with me if they were a woman?!”

“Nya ha ha! Just part of my charm. Now, get out of here! I’m sure you have other places you want to go!”

He started pushing me towards the door, and I was surprised by his strength. Had Henry been… hitting more than the books?

I cringed at my own thought, and decided to never try and make a joke like that to myself again. 

Olivia walked in the room, and I’m sure watching her husband push me towards the exit while Cordelia was surrounded by dogs was… an interesting sight.

“H-henry! What are you doing?!”

“Pushing Robin out so he can spend more time with Cordelia in places other than this one, rather than waste the entirety of Valentine’s Day feeling jealous of an increasing amount   
of dogs swarming his girlfriend.”

Olivia and I paused, and looked at Henry. What an elaborate answer, but that was what he was doing, down to the letter.

“Well, just… don’t injure him, okay? And, come right back in. I caught some of the couples trying to steal some of the dogs, and I’d like you to tell them a few jokes so they don’t   
think of doing it again.”

I had a feeling I knew what those jokes were. Probably involved in-depth descriptions of those Ylissean war crimes Cordelia and I were talking about earlier. 

With one final shove, Henry had pushed me outside of his tent. I was still surprised he had managed to get the funding for a tent; I wondered if Frederick was involved at all.   
Moments later, Cordelia emerged, trying to rub dog hair off her dress. 

“What made Henry push you out?”

“Ah… he just wanted me to spend time with you somewhere else. Nothing beyond that, from what I could gather.”

“That’s what Olivia said, but you guys seemed to be having… quite the conversation while I was getting swarmed. I love dogs, but not when they’re interfering with my attempted   
eavesdropping.”

“For once, I’m glad you were unsuccessful. Now, there’s still a few places I’d like to go before the dance tonight.” I stuck my arm out. “Shall we?”

She smirked, trying to hide her cheeks turning red. I could imagine I looked similar.“Well, take a look at Prince Corrin over here, being all romantic.”

I shuddered. “Please don’t compare me to that character again. He’s the antithesis to everything I stand for.”

Cordelia looped her arm around mine, and my heart began to race. “Like what?”

“Having common sense. Now, would you rather go to a tea shop, or to a bouquet shop? My treat.”

Cordelia seemed to think for a moment. “Hmm… how about both? Bouquet shop first, though.”

“Sounds good to me.”

And thus, we were off again.

~

I sat at the table, feeling my heart pound faster and faster. I peeked at my watch. Just a few minutes left until nine o’clock. Time was running out tonight. I had to get her to that   
field eventually…

I looked up to see Cordelia returning to the table, and tried to compose myself. 

“Why aren’t you dancing?”

“Let’s say I’m saving energy.”

“So, you’re exhausted after today? I can’t say I blame you.” 

I grasped onto that as an excuse, desperate to take any chance to hide my true intentions. 

“Yeah, we’ve done a lot today.”

“While I’m still not sure why there was a javelin-throwing contest on Valentine’s Day, I’m glad we decided to compete.” 

We both looked at the gold trophy.

“I had no doubts you would win the moment you entered.”

“Well, maybe if you took your nose out of a book every now and then, you’d be good at throwing javelins too.”

“Eh, I think I’ll pass. Magic’s far superior to weaponry, anyways.”

She laughed, and my spirit soared.

I truly was in love with her.

The clock chimed, heralding the passage of time to the next hour.

And apparently, heralding doom for me.

“Ahem. May I have your attention, please!”

Everyone’s gazes turned to the balcony of the castle, and I saw Chrom and Sumia dressed up in the fanciest clothes I had ever seen. Ricken was standing off to the side, holding a   
tome open with a glowing yellow circle coming out of it. An Amplify tome, to make Chrom’s voice louder? I liked the idea. Creative, something Ricken specialized in. I had heard   
he was placing top of his class in the magic academy Chrom and Libra had recommended, and smiled. He definitely deserved it. 

“For the last dance tonight, I’d like to highlight one of the many young couples out there. I assure everyone that this is completely random chance, and that I have no bias in this at   
all.”

I chuckled. Meaning, this will be the most biased thing he’ll do tonight, probably.

“Now, the spotlight falls on…” I watched as Chrom scanned the crowd, and realized what was going to happen. 

I was too late to realize it, though, and would always curse myself for my stupidity.

Chrom’s eyes met mine, and a smile grew across his face. 

I could tell Cordelia knew what would happen, because we both looked at each other with the same mortified expression.

A few moments later, a bright light appeared directly above the table we were sitting at. I looked back up to the balcony, fear growing in my chest, to see Libra holding a tome. He   
looked at me, and smiled. 

I was going to murder the lot of them.

“The couple at table thirteen! Give them a round of applause, everybody, since they’ll be the ones starting this next dance! And, guess what? It’s a slow one!”

I cursed my foolishness, thinking the day would go according to plan. I didn’t have any sort of back-up plans for this. Maybe if I had a wind tome, I could… no, I didn’t have a wind   
tome. Only a shine tome, and that was for later. 

I had to accept it.

I stood up, and rubbed the back of my head, feeling the stares of hundreds of other people. 

“So... uh.” I held out my hand to Cordelia, who was as red as her dress… again. Seemed to be happening a lot today. 

“Seems like we don’t have a choice in this.”

“As much as I wish we did,” Cordelia sighed, and took my hand. “It doesn’t appear we do.”

Both of us as red as could be, we made our way to the center of the plaza. I placed my hand on her waist as she placed her hand on my shoulder, and when the orchestra started   
playing the song, I tried my best to figure out how to dance in the moment. I wished I had taken Virion up on those lessons he had offered me after I finally beat him in chess.

I never thought I’d think “I wish I had taken Virion’s offer for dance lessons”, but here we were. 

One two three, one two three, one two three…

While I knew what a waltz was like in theory, I felt like a bumbling fool. No way was this pretty.

“Hey.”

I looked up from my feet to see Cordelia staring at me.

“Just… follow my lead, and maybe we can get through this.”

I nodded, unable to speak. 

One two three, one two three, one two three…

The music kept going, and I finally found a pattern to go with in the waltz thanks to Cordelia’s guidance. It was really quite simple, once I got the hang of it. 

As the music progressed, our steps seemed to get easier and easier to match with each other. I closed my eyes and relaxed a little. This wasn’t so bad, actually.

Actually…

I looked at Cordelia again, and our eyes met. I felt like I could see infinity in those scarlet eyes of hers. How lucky I was, to be able to share all these various experiences with her. 

The song slowed, and we matched our pace with the rhythm. 

Cordelia laid her head on my chest, and my heart leapt. I almost screwed up the pacing of the waltz. 

“I’m very lucky to have met you, Robin. Every day, I’m thankful for you.”

“And I, you. I couldn’t stand to think of what I’d be like without you.”

We let the music take us away. It truly was a lovely experience. I had nothing in my mind except for thoughts of the woman in front of me, and I felt that she was the same with   
me. I lost myself with her in the emotion of the song, and we danced for what felt like hours. 

“I love you.”

I wasn’t sure if one of us said it before the other, or if we said it at the same time. I just know that both of us meant it, with all of our hearts and souls. Grima be damned, I wanted   
to spend all of my days with her. 

I didn’t realize the song had ended until I parted lips with her and noticed the crowd’s applause. I looked around, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks, realizing that most of the   
other couples had joined us in the middle of the last song. 

“What a stellar performance from table thirteen! Everyone give them a hand, they’ve earned it!”

I was going to commit regicide today, it seemed!

“Robin, that was a great experience, and I do love you, but… can we leave?”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

I was not looking forward to the next time I met up with Chrom. 

~

We ended up next to the pegasus stalls. Whether that was divine intervention or not, I was grateful.

“Well, Robin, I had a fantastic time today. I can’t imagine you have anything else planned after that, so-”

“Actually…” I gestured to the pegasus stalls. “Mind accompanying me for just a bit more? I have one more thing planned for tonight.”

“Color me surprised. I’m not sure how you can surpass the last thing we did, but I look forward to finding out how.”

“This time, I’ll be the one in the rider’s seat. You can be the one holding onto me from behind.”

“Sounds alright with me. If you need me to start controlling her, just let me know.”

I walked with Cordelia to her pegasus, Caeda, who began licking me with such intensity that I wondered if she thought I was a snack for her or something. I was glad that   
Cordelia’s pegasus liked me, even if it was only an exception to the rule. I wished more animals would learn to like me. 

“Cordelia, I will have to ask you to close your eyes for the duration of the ride. While I’m sure you can guess where we’re heading, I still want it to be at least somewhat of a   
surprise.”

“Well, then lead on. Again, if you need my help, don’t be afraid to ask.”

“It’s not too far away. We’ll be there in no time.”

After we properly saddled up, it was time to go. I was glad that Cordelia had given me lessons whenever we had the chance, because this plan wouldn’t work without a pegasus. 

Oh, Naga, this was it.

I leaned towards Caeda’s ear. “Here we go, girl. This is it.”

And then we were up in the air.

I was always impressed by pegasus and wyvern riders. Being able to be in the middle of battle atop a winged steed and not be scared of falling was impressive. Definitely not   
something I’d ever think myself capable of. As we soared through the air, I reflected on the past few weeks. Everything had been leading up to this. All my preparations, all the   
stress, all my anxiety and nervousness… it was all for this.

To my surprise, I didn’t feel too worried. For some reason, I felt extremely sure of my decision here. Nothing could sway me anymore. I felt more determined than I ever had been   
before, even in the battle with Grima. 

“You’re surprisingly capable at this, you know.”

“I had you as a teacher. Of course I’d be at least somewhat skilled at this.”

I felt her grip tighten. “You’re a better student than I am a teacher, you stupid bookworm.”

“Perfectionist.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, just basking in each other’s company. 

Gods, I loved her. With all my being, I could say that for certain.

I looked down, and realized we had almost passed our destination. 

“We’re here.”

We landed, and I helped get Cordelia off Caeda, her eyes still closed. Taking the supplies I had brought that weren’t already in my suit, I laid down the blanket.

“Can I open my eyes yet?”

“Nope. Not yet.”

I guided her to the blanket. “Okay, lay down. My eyes are closed, too, just so we can experience this together.”

We both laid down, taking care to not fall over. 

“How about now?”

“Three, two, one…”

…

“Open?”

“Open.”

We both opened our eyes and gasped. I could have never imagined the stars would be as beautiful as they were. I was positive Naga was intervening at this point, because this was   
the best sky I had ever seen.

My eyes darted to the various constellations Cordelia had taught me about. There was the hero Leif, and there was Eliwood atop his horse. To the west laid Seliph and Julia, with   
Ephraim and Eirika residing in the east. The Radiant Hero Ike stood with Ragnell in the north, accompanied by Micaiah the Savior and Yune the bird. 

Legends carried by the ages, immortalized in the night sky. 

Truly, it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.

“Oh, wow…”

I looked over to see Cordelia tracing all the constellations. She knew far more than I did. I could see her tracing the outline of a figure in armor, who I figured must have been   
Hector. 

She was beautiful. I had had that thought many times throughout the day, and I felt it most intensely here. 

“This is the first spot we watched the sky together, isn’t it?”

I nodded. 

“I thought so. You’re cheesy enough to do that.”

“Mice love me.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, either. Your cheesiness makes me love you more and more, the more time I spend with you.”

“I can say the exact same.”

We laid in silence for a few minutes, and I thought about all the experiences I shared with her. The first time we met, to the first conversation we had. Every time she dragged me   
out of a funk. Every time we won a battle together. Every time I rescued her, and she rescued me. How many times we rescued each other, and… how many times we fell in love   
with each other, over and over and over again. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I hated how long it took me to decide to do this. Why hadn’t I done this sooner? Why did I wait this long to finally tie this knot, and make this official? Why couldn’t I be more   
confident?

Now wasn’t the time for those kinds of thoughts.

“Robin, I’m not sure how you managed to make this sky more beautiful than it ever has been.”

“I didn’t do anything. But, here… close your eyes again, and I can do something. I hope you’ll see it as an improvement.”

“You’re making me close my eyes a lot tonight, but I’m sure I’ll love whatever it is you’re planning.”

After ensuring her eyes were closed, I took the shine tome out.

This is it.

“Shine.”

I took the ball of light that had appeared, and gently tossed it into the air, directly above us. I began to trace the proper letters from it, trying not to interfere with any of the   
existing constellations. It was a bit difficult. But… eventually, I got the first word done. 

“Can I open them yet?”

“You’re surprisingly impatient.” 

Shine.

Another ball of light, another word. The ring seemed to grow heavier in my suit. There had been so many opportunities over the years. I was finally taking one of them.

Shine.

The third word was a bit difficult to write. Not because of the difficulty of the spell, but because of how hard my heart was beating. 

“How about now?”

“Nope.”

Shine.

I finished tracing the final letter, and exhaled. My nerves were still going insane, and I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest and take over Ylisse. 

I grabbed the ring, and brought it out of my suit pocket. I was shocked at how heavy it seemed. 

“You can open them now.”

I watched her eyes open and take in the question I wrote.

Will you marry me?

“Oh, gods…”

Her head whipped to face me at an alarming speed, and I was worried she was going to give herself a concussion. I watched her eyes begin tearing up as she took the sight of me   
kneeling, with an open box revealing the most beautiful ring I had ever seen inside. 

I felt my heart start pounding faster than ever.

“Cordelia, I can’t even begin to describe how happy you’ve made me ever since I first met you. I think about you every day, and it always brings a smile to my face. The jokes, the   
tears, the scars, the years that have passed, and… the years to come. Would you please share them with me?”

This was the plan I was the most proud of. Nothing could ever come close to my pride at coming up with this. Stopping Walhart, overcoming Gangrel’s schemes, coming to terms   
with Validar and Grima… nothing would ever make me as proud as I was in that moment. 

“Robin…”

Oh, gods, was she going to say no?

My fears were answered when I felt her arms wrap around me, and her lips smashed against mine. I was so happy.

Nothing could make me happier. 

Nothing. 

“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Gods, I’m so happy you asked!”

She laughed, and I began laughing with her. 

“I’m very happy you said yes. Here.”

I took the ring, and slipped it on her finger.

“How’d you even get my finger size?”

Memories of buying fifty pounds of candy for Gaius filled my mind. 

“To be honest, it involved a lot of sweets.”

She stared at the ring. The ruby in the center sparkled, though I was moreso paying attention to her eyes, in complete honesty.

“Where’d you even find this? How long have you had it? How did you keep this a secret from me? Who knew? Oh, no, is anyone watching?”

“No, no, nobody’s watching. I made sure that you and I would be the only ones here.”

“How you managed to get Sumia off our tail, I’ll never guess.”

“Why are the king and queen so interested in our love life, I wonder?”

“Because it’s the best. You’re the best.”

“I think that title should go to you.”

“Regardless, Robin, I can’t believe this. This is really a dream come true.”

“So…” I rubbed the back of my head. “Now we need to start planning for the wedding.”

“Oh, gods… Sumia’s told me so many horror stories about that. I’m definitely not looking forward to it all that much.”

“Nor am I. You know what I’m looking forward to even less than that, though?”

“What’s that?”

“Chrom seeing that ring on your finger. I can’t imagine how similar to a teenage girl he’ll be.

“You’re right about that. But, Robin, there is one thing to look forward to with this.”

“And what would that be?”

“My being able to spend the rest of my days with you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this was my first work I've ever posted. It was probably mediocre, but hey, experience is the best teacher for these things. I might make a sequel to this, I might not, who knows? Not me! 
> 
> Really, though, I hope you enjoyed this. I was working on this for a week, and wanted to publish it on Valentine's Day, but I wasn't aware of this website's weird registration process. Didn't get to register until after the holiday was already over, sadly. 
> 
> I know for a fact that I want to write a series of one-shots in an attempt to improve Cordelia's character, because I'm a little unsatisfied with her writing in the game. Seems like another case of having all the ingredients for a fantastic character and then spilling some "chemical X" in the form of some weird crush on Chrom to ruin the writing, and yes, I'll forever be bitter about it. I hope I can improve her character somewhat, though it'll already be an improvement by removing her stupid Chrom obsession. 
> 
> I hope you'll read the stuff I write in the future! Shine on, everyone!


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